Mischief Managed
by ADayWithoutSmilingIsADayWasted
Summary: "Students," Harry said, "Welcome home."


**HEY! :)**

**So, um…I've never ever written anything Harry Potter, so be gentle with the hate. ;) I know this will probably suck, but I got this idea and I couldn't get it out. This will be an alternative ending to the amazing Harry Potter series. All credit goes to J.K. Rowling for the books and characters.**

**It's not that I didn't like the ending, but it wasn't as emotional as I would have hoped, which made me want to write and ending of my own, even though I know that it won't be half as good as anything J.K. Rowling has ever written. She's the best, after all.**

**Anyway, now on to the actual thing.**

**Enjoy&Review!**

_ONE YEAR LATER_

It had happened over a year ago, though it all felt like yesterday; the battle, the destructions, and the cheers as it had all ended. These things were all fresh in Harry's mind as he boarded the Hogwarts Express, his nose filled with the steam of the engine, his ears roaring with the noise of the crowd. Briefcase in hand, wand tucked in his robes, he weaved his way in and out of groups of noisy kids. Some gave out audible gasps of surprise, others merely grinned, but all of them stared at his scar with such intensity, Harry thought it would start prickling again.

He found his friends easily enough, as kids were all lined by the door to their compartment, waiting detailed reviews of the battle. The first years were the most excited ones, some of them jumping a few feet in the air, as Harry strolled through them, grinning at his friends. They were all there: Ron and Hermione, holding hands, and Neville and Luna and Seamus and everyone else, which made the absence of the ones they had lost, seem even more real. At that though, Harry's smile faltered. His friends were smiling, but he felt it was all for his sake. They looked tried, and weighed down by the grief.

George stood up first, and grinning. It was impossible, Harry thought, that George managed to smile even though he had lost Fred, his twin brother, and his best friend. Harry shook the hand George offered him.

Ron smiled. "Good to see you, mate."

At his words, it was as if everyone suddenly got the gift of speech, as they all started talking at once, their words overlapping, finishing each other's sentences.

"…yeah, and so Molly made this…"

"…gigantic chocolate cake…"

"….the size of a Bulger, I'm telling you…"

"…so we could all eat, you know…"

"…but then Ron tripped over his shoelaces and fell face-first into it."

While his friends told him about the time they had spent during the summer at the Burrow, Harry gazed at them, seeing the traces of the war in their faces; a falter of a smile, the sadness in their eyes, the change of their voice…Everyone seemed to be doing a good job at hiding it, though, and for a second Harry though that maybe, their happiness wasn't just clever acting, maybe piece by piece they were coming back together.

"So, how was your summer?" Neville asked after a while.

That was such a simple and ordinary question, something he asked all the time before the battle, and Harry felt himself smiling. "It was fantastic."

And so he went on to tell them how he had gone to visit Tonk's house, and the baby, his _godson_. "Ted is the cutest, you have no idea," Harry said, remembering the little face and feet and the smell of freshness and baby. "He said my name, you know. I almost cried. Looks so much like his father, that kid, but…"

Hermione cut him off, smiling. "Let me guess; he has his mother's eyes." Harry nodded, also smiling.

They talked, then, and laughed and sat in comfortable silence, as the Hogwarts Express rattled towards its destination.

/

It felt like no time had passed that the train hauled to a stop. The air was filled with the sounds of a thousand feet pounding as the kids rushed out of the train and into the fresh September air. Harry and the others waited for all of them to leave, then exited as well.

Outside, the air was heavy with the coming rain, though the sun blazed down from above them. Harry gazed up at the castle, gleaming in the orange of the sunset, completely rebuilt, with no sign of destruction.

Everything felt like just another school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"First years, follow me!" Hagrid roared over the crowd. Harry, Ron and Hermione wanted to go over to him, but they could hardly move an inch.

As the carriages slowly drifted towards them, then stopped to welcome them in, silence suddenly fell. People screamed. Ron, Hermione and Seamus looked baffled.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

Luna gave him a sad smile. "Everyone can see the Thestrals now."

Harry didn't have time to ponder this, as he was quickly being bustled into the carriages.

/

Minerva McGonagall cleared her throat, and instantly all conversation ceased. All eyes rested upon her.

"Hello, students and welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. As your Headmistress, I am glad to present to you our teachers."

She turned to the long, wooden table behind her, where the teachers ate. After having presented everyone, she turned back to the assembly of kids in front of her, whose eyes twinkled under the glow of the candles filling the Great Hall.

"And now," she said, "a little treat is in order. Even though I very much wish you not to need it, you will nonetheless continue with your Defense Against The Dark Arts studies. After seeing what happened last year in this very school, I believe there will be no harm, on the contrary, to know something or another on the subject. Now, it was easier than ever finding a teacher for the job, since people believe the curse has been lifted as the Dark Lord was conquered. However, I decided that Hogwarts deserves a special teacher for the Defense Against The Dark Arts classes."

Professor McGonagall smiled again, and her gaze shifted to Harry's. "This young man, by the name of Harry Potter, has done a lot for this school, as you probably know. He has made it his home. With him being one of the most gifted wizards of the century, I allow myself to believe he will be an equally good teacher. I present to you now, my colleague, Mr. Potter, Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Any words, Mr. Potter?"

Harry gazed at the thousands of waiting faces, beaming up at him. And then he looked at his friends, who looked right back at him. There was Hermione, who had taken the job as co-headmistress of Hogwarts in training. And Ron, who had come to train to become a Quiddich teacher. Then there was Neville, with an Auror-in-training badge gleaming on his chest, holding Luna's hand. Luna didn't know what she wanted to work yet, but she had come to support her friends.

"Yes," said Harry finally. "Just two."

While he stared at the two chairs, left empty in honor of Dumbledore and Snape, Harry felt his heart ache, but he thought that for once, it was a good kind of ache. He had battled with evil, alongside his friends, and they had won. And here they were, greeting a whole new generation of wizards, who would face all the adventures of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry smiled at the thought. "Students," he said. "Welcome home."

His words were drowned by applause.

/

Deciding to see off the first-years and wish them goodnight, Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed up to the Gryffindor Common Room, atop the tower. As they reached the portrait, the Fat Lady smiled. "No password for you," she said, and swung aside to let them in.

George sat in the common room, feet on a little wooden table. The three of them joined him, closely followed by Neville and Luna.

They sat in silence for a long while, staring at the crackling fire. Harry found himself longing for Sirius' head to pop up in the fire, cheerful and smiling, and to congratulate him for everything he has done because while other people did that all the time, he thought it would mean the most from Sirius. His head did not appear, of course, and suddenly Harry felt like crying.

At that moment, the portrait swung open yet again. A flash of fiery red hair later, Harry found himself in Ginny's arms.

"Where were you?" She asked, laughing. "I didn't see you on the train."

She had become even more beautiful over the summer, and Harry hugged her tighter. "I wasn't hiding, you know," he chuckled.

They talked then, for a long time, until there was nothing left to say. The crackling of the fire in the fireplace became the only sound, except for their soft breathing. Harry was sure everyone had fallen asleep, until Neville spoke up. "So, we beat You-Know-Who himself then, huh?"

Everyone laughed, then went quiet, staring at each other, recalling the battle that had taken place only last year.

"Yeah," said Harry finally. "Mischief Managed."

**Ta-daa! :D**

**So…I hope you liked that, and I'm sorry if it was short or stupid or whatever. But nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it, and tell me in the reviews if you did, or didn't! :)**

**Take care. Thanks a bunch. Love you all!**

**Stay awesome and #LOUD!**


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